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THE BIG NEWS this month is the release on 28 Jan of Reinforcements Attack. Also released that day were Boosters 34, 35, 36, as well as the Nova Edition of Distant Armada and Alien Armada, along with both Nova and Admiral editions of Battleships Armada, and Captain's Log #46.
 
Counters for Star Fleet Marines: Last Stand and Reinforcements Attack.
  
In other news this month, the second annual Platinum Hat International Online
SFB tournament has finished and Paul Scott is this year's champion. We look
forward to seeing the third annual tournament start this summer. Stay tuned here
for more news, but remember you can always find the most up-to-date
information on the BBS: http://www.starfleetgames.com/discus/.
WEBSITE: Our website, www.StarFleetGames.com, continues to grow and improve. You are welcome to send us your requests, comments, and suggestions. Joel Shutts, our graphics director, continues to update the website, do covers for the new
products, shut down pirate websites, help out around the company, and learn more
about the game business. One of our newest pages is for Starline 2500 where we display photos and 3d renders of the new starships.
FACEBOOK: Jean continues to improve our page on Facebook, adding many new photos and other features.
If you haven't seen the 1,000+ pieces of art in the albums, you should drop by and visit. You don't have to be a member of Facebook to see our page, but if you are, please become our friend so you can get information in your newsfeed.
If you've already liked us on Facebook, but are not
seeing our posts, then remember to check your new "Pages Feed" on the left menu.
You can also go to our page and hover over the "Liked" button. Be sure that both
"Show in News Feed" and "Get Notifications" are checked.
VIDEOS: StarFleetGames has taken its act to YouTube and we now have a YouTube channel. Our goal is to create a video for the new product releases during each month. We have "In the Box" videos to show you what you will see when you unpack your new game. We have also done "Spotlights" on a single product or product line. So pull up a chair and join us at the movies! Our newest uploads are:
Star Fleet Marines Part 1
Star Fleet Marines Part 2
ADB Late May 2011
Starline 2500 Miniatures Review
STARBLOG: Our StarBlog has moved to a new URL
and all links on StarFleetGames.com websites have been changed to match. The new
site is
http://federationcommander.blogspot.com
The blog covers all aspects of the company.
AMBASSADORS: Jean Sexton has succeeded in recruiting two ambassadors (Michael C. Baker and A. David Merritt) to carry the word of the Star Fleet Universe to other
websites. They (and Jean) were awarded the first ever "Star Fleet
Ambassador Badges" as well as appropriate medals for their service to date.
These ambassadors do not just repeat press releases; they answer questions,
encourage discussion, and help people find the relevant documents on our
website. Contact Jean Sexton if you want to volunteer for ambassador duty.
Forum
BBS
JAGDPANTHER
Take a journey with us to an ancient age, just one step up from carving game rules on clay tablets. The year 1973 was at the very dawn of the independent wargame publishing companies. Typesetting was done with a manual typewriter, print-on-demand meant the photocopier at the library, counters were printed on paper (and drawn by hand), page layout was done with scissors and cellophane tape, and two guys in a garage could turn out a wargame magazine that won two Origins Awards. The point was creativity, new ideas, and imagination. Production values would have to come later.
That magazine was JagdPanther (Hunting Panther), created and run by the same Stephen V. Cole who later co-founded Task Force Games and then went on to found Amarillo Design Bureau. We found the ancient archives of this game company (which ran from 1973-1976, producing 15 magazines, about 50 games, hundreds of variants, and dozens of game reviews) and are now placing them on e23 so they are available to collectors. (Old issues have been selling on Ebay for over $100 each.) Issue #1, Issue #2, Issue #3, and Issue #4 are already there and further issues are being prepared for upload.
Tenneshington Decals now provides custom decals for all currently produced Starline 2500 miniatures, as well as special sets encompassing the contents of the Federation Fleet Box, the Federation Squadron Box 1, and Squadron Box 7 - Federation Reinforcements. Decals for each of these ships are available individual sheets and we now have a sheet of "windows" which can be used to detail any ship with additional window blocks, sensors, hatches, and even phaser scars.
As with all their products, the names on the ships are up to the customer and all sheets are custom-printed to order.
Tenneshington Decals would also like to announce the acquisition of a new, micro-dry printer. We are currently hard at work to expand the decal range to include decals for all Starline 2500 Klingon, Romulan, Gorn, and Kzinti miniatures.
In addition, we are nearing completion of decals sheets for the Starline 2400 Federation Fleet Boxes
For more information or to download the order sheet, check us out at www.tenneshington.com. Or if you prefer, email Will McCammon at: will@tenneshington.com or Tony L. Thomas at: scoutdad@tenneshington.com.
 
Rated Ace Tournament 40 has started with Geof Clark as the judge. Four games in
the first round have been played and there's even a game ready to go in Round 2.
Way to go!
Andromedan Playtest Tournament has been restarted and games are being played.
Peter Bakija anticipates it picking up even more after some of the intense
tournaments wind down.
Fall 2012 FCOL Tournament format is now in the final round and we should have
results in the next newsletter. Jim Dauphinais is the judge and is keeping this
one moving.
NetKill Patrol has finished for 2012. John P. Rigley won the elimination round.
Netkill has started for 2013. Richard Sherman maintains the statistics that make
this tournament possible.
The Platinum Hat 2012 International Online SFB tournament is through! The final
round saw Paul Scott defeat Gregg Dieckhaus in a tightly contested battle. Judge
Peter Bakija and Tournament Marshall Steven Petrick kept this tournament moving.
Their work is greatly appreciated.
The 2-on-2 Tournament 2012 is looking for a new judge as the original organizer
had Real Life interfere with gaming.
A GURPS Prime Directive campaign in motion on the Federation Commander Forum.
Check out the Donjebruche Campaign here:
http://www.starfleetgames.com/federation/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=3193 The GM is
Jeff Johnson.
On the radar: the Masters 2013 tournament seems to be in the formative stages.
Please send information to Jean via the email in her BBS profile, PM on the Mongoose or Federation Commander forums, or Message on Facebook. If you want convention support, please contact Mike Sparks at support@StarFleetGames.com. Your convention must meet a few simple requirements (one of which is being held in the United States due to shipping costs) which are here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/sfb/tournament/tourn_main.shtml
Mongoose Publishing held The ACTASF Star Fleet Tactical Challenges 2013 tournament on January 12, 2013 at Mongoose HQ in Swindon. Winners were:
1. Ben Rubery/Gorn/92 points
2. Andy Don/Federation/82 points (and best Sportsman!)
3. Stuart Excel/Federation/77 points
4. Ben Camp/Federation/61 points
5. Alan Buckmaster/Klingon/58 points
6. Richard Carr/Romulan/49 points
Congratulations to you all!
ACTASF events will be held at the Cold Wars convention, March 8th and 9th in Lancaster.
Website: http://www.coldwars.org/ Events: Friday March 8, 6 pm-10 pm, one-hour introductory demos of ACTA:SF, four players per one-hour time slot.
Saturday March 9, 10 am-2 pm, a six-player "Fight to the Death" beginner's scenario. Feds and Klingon fight to the death on a fixed map with some terrain. Saturday March 9, 4 pm-9 pm, a six-player game: "Assault on the Alliance Base Complex". The three players on the winning side get a free Federation Starline 2500 mini (Fed DN or BCH).
Questing Knight in 6 Old Bakery Row, TF1 1PS Wellington, United Kingdom, phone: +44 1952 417747, will hold a demo of SFB on March 17. Events take place in the store frequently so check in with them.
http://www.questingknightgames.co.uk/
Demos will be run for ACTASF on April 6 at Trumpeter Salute in at the Bonsor Community Center in Burnaby, British Columbia. Jon Woodland is the person who will be running them. For more information check http://www.trumpetersalute.com/
Gnomecon will be held on April 20 in Savannah, Georgia. Mike Baker will run the Star Fleet Battles Cadet Game "The Stasis Box." Ships of various fleets come upon readings indicating the possible presence of one, or more stasis boxes in an asteroid field. Everyone wants one, but there are only a few or maybe none and the readings belong to one that expired centuries ago. There will be room for up to 6 players in this multiplayer
treasure hunt. For more information check out the con's page at http://gnomecon.org/ or contact Mike at gamemaster@gnomecon.org.
Nashcon 2013 will be held May 24-25, 2013 at Cool Springs / Franklin Embassy Suites. Tony L. Thomas will be running the latest revision of The Battle For Kh'rtis Rock, a massive scenario involving over 60 Federation and Klingon ships (with a battle station and some civilian units thrown in case 60 ships isn't a large enough number!). In addition, a three round ACTASF tournament will be played on Saturday 25. Contact Tony (tony.l.thomas@comcast.net) with any questions concerning this event.
Origins Game Fair 2013 will be held June 12-16 in the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio, 43215. Demos will be held of ACTASF. Federation and Empire has a huge group of players who conquer the universe over the space of five days. All SFU games will be played there and demos will be held upon request (some will be formally scheduled closer to the event). Both Steve Cole and Steven Petrick will be available to players and there will be seminars about what is in store for the games and what you, the players, want.
Games and demos are being run in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. OKC WarS has games of ACTASF run by James Kerr. You can find them at Hampton Inn Midwest City, 1833 Center Dr., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73110-2810 http://www.okcwars.com/forum or contact them through email: okcwars@okcwars.com
Games and demos are being run in Spokane, Washington. They meet every Thursday (may move to Friday) at 2:00 pm and play till 9:00 pm, games open to start every time. You can find them at The Gamers Haven, 2114 N. Pines St., Suites 1 & 2, Spokane Valley, WA 99206, (509) 443-5992
http://www.thegamershaven.net/gamers_haven.php
Games and demos are being run in Jacksonville, Florida. They start at 6:00pm and play till 11:00 pm, There will always be ACTASF games open to play or you can learn ACTASF every Friday. Contact Ray at Suncoast Comics, 5509 Roosevelt Blvd., Jacksonville, Florida 32244 904.771.2776 service@suncoastcomics.com
Do you want to run demos and promote SFU games? Consider becoming a Ranger! You have the advantage of "growing your own" opponents and of making new friends. Read more about it here: http://www.starfleetgames.com/rangers/index.shtml
HAILING FREQUENCIES: This is our newsletter and will let you know all the news for all our games. You can subscribe here. Have you missed an earlier newsletter? Click here to get caught up!
COMMUNIQUE: The latest Communique brings you more Ship Cards, scenarios, and more news from the Star Fleet Universe! It can be downloaded from the Commander's Circle.
COMMANDER'S CIRCLE: We continue to improve the Commander's Circle. All of the ships and scenarios are available as separate documents (the ships are organized by empire) so you can quickly see what is available. The FC Scenario Database and Master Ship Chart documents are also here. Our newest project was suggested by our players and is uploading low-toner Ship Cards. The Commander's Circle is the best place to find free additions to Federation Commander!
The Federation Commander site and Forum continue to grow as more gamers continue to find them. All of our games currently have topics in the Forum. If you have any comments, questions, or requests for our Graphics Director, this is the place to let him know. Come see what the commotion is about and join the Federation Commander Forum now.
We are very pleased to see the medals, honor bars, and ribbons awarded to players being incorporated into their signatures. It is exciting to see lots of interesting conversations about a wide variety of subjects.
Get in on the
activity!
While for new players the Federation Commander Forum is a little easier to
manage, the original (Discus-based) BBS is where most product development
takes place. If you have a proposal you'd like to see worked on, don't forget to
make sure it is mentioned here. It also has active F&E and SFB forums where
players run campaigns, Rated Ace tournaments and other SFB tournaments are organized (most FC tournaments are organized on the Forum), SVC's "My
Day" appears, along with current news and strategies dealing with Prime Directive, and each issue of Captain's Log is created. While less colorful
(no avatars or sigs), it is a vital part of ADB, Inc.'s communications.
WHAT TO DO WITH LEGACY ESCORTS
- Captain Ted Fay, USS Texas
An empire, particularly the Klingons and the Kzintis, may start the game with sub-optimal escorts. Examples include the Klingon E4A versus the F5E, the Kzinti EFF versus the FKE, the Kzinti CLE versus the MEC, and others for both of these empires and to a lesser extent other empires. Let's call these dated, or sub-optimal, escorts "legacy escorts."
As the war progresses, for most games, the legacy escorts are no longer needed for escort duty. Often they are used for pin count, or perhaps to support a carrier intended for use sending fighters forward from the support echelon during combat.
While these are perfectly valid uses for your legacy escorts, consider putting them into combat at selected locations where you are not in danger of losing them on pursuit - and then crippling them. Return these crippled legacy escorts to your depot facilities and begin the process of dumping them into depot level repair tracks on subsequent turns. Note that with the recent ruling on depot repair, you can place one crippled escort in each track type (say, one EFF in the Kzinti FF track plus one CLE in the Kzinti CL track). During any turn the unit is in the depot tracks it can be unconverted per (424.31). This way, you can return the legacy escort to its base hull type. So, an EFF can become an FF or a CLE can become a CL.
Both the repair and the "unconversion" are free and use no repair capacity. Whereas repairing and unconverting an E4A would cost two Economic Points, using the depot process costs nothing. The economic cost can be considerable if you use this process for many ships. For example, for the Kzintis if you use this process over the course of the game for 10 EFFs and 10 CLEs, you will save 50 Economic Points - most of which are saved when your economy is at its weakest.
Of course, you are paying the opportunity cost of four turns without use of a ship. However, over the course of the full General War, that is only about 1/8 to 1/9 of game time, and you save considerable Economic Points and the conversion capacity.
The unconverted ship, while still outclassed by later war hulls, is more useful than a legacy escort for duty as a picket ship or even on the line during combat.
(End F&E Strategy of the Month)
Throughout the month our graphics director places on the website various cards called Demotivationals. These are like postcards with an image and a phrase that is often used for humor.
These are the Demotivationals for the month of January:
Big Plasma
Sun Snake
Shipyards
Field Repair Ships
Auxiliaries
Escorts
To see our previous Demotivationals click here.
Every month we will feature one or more of our miniatures that has been painted by a fan. If you paint miniatures, submit pictures of your minis and they may be selected for the next Mini of the Month!
Starline 2500 Klingon D7
by
Tony L. Thomas
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Communique #86 has been posted to the Commander's Circle.
Click here to see our previous issues of Hailing Frequencies.
Recently Released
Federation Commander: Reinforcements Attack, Stock # 4110, $29.95
Federation Commander Booster Pack 34 Escorts, Stock #4234, $9.95
Federation Commander Booster Pack 35 Cops & Raiders, Stock #4235, $9.95
Federation Commander Booster Pack 36 Heavies, Stock #4236, $9.95
Captain's Log #46, Stock #5746, $24.95
Starmada: Battleship Armada, Stock #6105, $16.95
Alien Armada Nova Edition, Stock #6103, $16.95
Distant Armada Nova Edition, Stock #6104, $16.95
To be released during April-May 2013
SFB Module C6 Lost Empires, $TBA
A Call to Arms: Star Fleet Reference Cards, Stock #30001, $14.99
Traveller Prime Directive Core Rulebook, $TBA
Star Fleet Marines: Last Stand, $34.95
To be released in 2013
Tribbles vs Klingons. $TBA
A Call to Arms Star Fleet #2, BattleFleets, $TBA (JV-Mongoose)
Federation Admiral, Stock #4080, $TBA
PDF SALES: ADB, Inc. continues its relationship with Steve Jackson Games and their e23 Warehouse. We chose e23 because they have a philosophy that agrees with ours -- our customers are honest and honorable and wouldn't aid people who want to steal our products. Furthermore, we know from experience how devastating a computer crash can be and want our customers to know that they don't have to worry about the loss of their e-products bought through e23. What do we have there? We have created a new page that allows easy access to our PDFs for sale on e23. From here you can see what we currently have posted and have links to those products.
RECENTLY RELEASED ON e23
SFB: Stellar Shadows Journal #1
PD One: Graduation Exercise
PD One: Uprising! 1994
Star Fleet Times #41-45
Jagdpanther Issue #4
Starmada Distant Armada Nova Edition
Starmada Alien Armada Nova Edition
Captain's Log #26
PD One: Federation Sourcebook 1994
Star Fleet Times #36-#40
RECENTLY RELEASED ON DRIVE THRU RPG
PD One:
Federation Sourcebook 1994
PD One: Prime Directive Core Book 1993
Introduction to the Star Fleet Universe
Prime Directive PD20M
Klingons PD20 Modern
Federation PD20 Modern
Romulans PD20 Modern
Hangar Bay, Seltorian ACS Wind of Ordained Retribution
Ensign Oceans of the Moon was proud. Everything was running smoothly. The fighters were being reloaded from the ready racks. The only drawback to the process was the sheer number of drones that had to be loaded onto each fighter, but they were making progress. Even now, some of the first fighters to return had half of their drones reloaded.
He turned around and began to check on his Zerhak reload teams. They were still working smoothly, but the Zerhaks carried even more drones than the Zen-Yakens and it would be some time before they were done.
A sudden thought popped into his head. The Zerhaks carried disruptors and he knew that they would be an important part of any attempt to keep the Tholian gunboats away. The heavy fighters had returned to reload as part of the initial plan to get more drones launched as soon as possible. They would not be able to provide anything for their defense for some time.
What is keeping the gunboats away?
Gunboat Leader, Tholian Flotilla
"Accelerating to speed factor three point one," Firnx said as he closed the link to the Guardian. He turned to his weapons officer. "As soon as we get close, we're going to slow down just enough to overload the disruptors. I plan for a pass at point-blank range, so hold everything that you can until then."
He turned back to stare out the cockpit window of the gunboat, trying to link the view outside with what was being shown on his tactical scopes. All he could make out was an occasional flash of weapons fire in the darkness of the void. This is wasteful. The windows only exist for docking and formation flying. Nobody can see anything at combat ranges. He tried to focus, but one thought kept running through his mind like a mantra. It won't be long now.
Firnx checked in with the other gunboats and gave them final instructions. To the scout, he gave instructions to use its jamming and counter-jamming capabilities with discretion on the run in, but he needed them to cut through as much of the jamming as possible at the point of attack. Then he settled back in his harness. It won't be long now.
He felt the gunboat smoothly accelerate under him, the frame thrumming with the barely-contained extra power that the warp packs provided. It wouldn't be long now before he had the ACS under his guns, and the Seltorians would feel their unchained wrath.
It won't be long now.
(Continue reading here)
Crew, Boarding Parties
After an 11-year tour at the Academy, Admiral Growler has returned to active duty. His successor is Admiral Vanaxilth, a visitor from the Hydran Kingdom. Although well-versed in military theory, rumor has it the Royal Family had him sent to the Academy on the theory he would do less damage there, after his fleets were devastated by the Klingons.
Admiral Vanaxilth is assisted by Kommodore Ketrick and many staff officers, including Stewart Frazier, Troy Latta, Gary Carney, John Wyszynski, William Wilson, Ken Humpherys, Alex Lyons, and Terry O'Carroll.
Sean Hunt asks: A strict reading of rule (G9.431) tells me that disbanding boarding parties is only an option when there are two boarding parties remaining. Surely this is not correct, and you can do that whenever you need a skeleton crew?
ANSWER: There is no enabling rule that lets you convert boarding parties into crew units, except for (G9.431), which lets you convert the last two boarding parties to satisfy the minimum crew requirement. In fact, (G9.432) specifically prohibits converting boarding parties to crew units on enemy ships for purposes of creating a skeleton crew under (D7.51).
Sean Hunt asks: Can boarding parties or deck crews be killed by (G9.21) or other rules that kill crew units without specifying which sort of crew, such as radiation zones? If so, does the owning player allocate the casualties?
ANSWER: The crew of your ship consists of general crew, boarding parties, deck crews, and possibly other specialized crew units. Rule (G9.21) does not require you to take the losses on any specific crew unit or crew type. You could take one general crew unit, or two boarding parties, or two deck crews, or one boarding party and one deck crew, etc. You could not take the last general crew unit or either of the last two boarding parties as a casualty here; however, you could by (G9.22). For example, a ship with four crew units and two boarding parties remaining would have to take the crew casualty from (G9.21) on a general crew unit, even though it reduces the crew below the minimum.
The same applies to the (P15.1) losses from radiation zones, except that radiation can kill the last crew and boarding parties. Other crew damage rules, such as (D7.21), have to be applied to specific crew types.
Roch Chartrand asks: At what point does radiation zone damage start affecting boarding parties in a ship that has some of its shields down? Is it one crew unit only even if there is more than one shield down? How does it affect boarding parties? What is the ratio of boarding parties that will die due to radiation?
( Ask Admiral Vanaxilth continues here)
WHO OWNS WHAT? AND WHEN DID THEY OWN IT?
Q: A question on economics and province ownership. What is at issue is when exactly is a province considered captured? I will use an example during the game. Province 0701 on Turn #2 had a Kzinti BATS in 0701 and nothing else. A Lyran force came in and destroyed the BATS in combat. The Coalition player then retrograded out leaving none of his units in the province and likewise no Alliance units. During Alliance Turn #2 does province 0701 (which can be connected to the Kzinti grid) provide two EP to the Kzintis or only one EP under rule (430.24) Abandoned?
A: Guidance to this issue can be found in Fighter Operations in rule (438.2). "A province is considered to have remained captured if no ships of the original owner are in that province at the end of either player turn." Note the use of ships and not units in this requirement. This also defines a point in time (well, in the Sequence of Play) when the province is considered "captured" for both long-term effects such as those listed in (438.0) but also short term like those in (430.0).
Q: According to rule (503.622), a neutral zone hex is "captured" if it is occupied or if the capturing player was the last to move a unit through it and no enemy ships are in or adjacent to it. However, back in 2005, your predecessor (Nick Blank) said that: "Moving through a NZ hex (you were the last to move through) means you 'own' the neutral zone hex. During [your Economic Phase], if there are no adjacent enemy ships, then you get the income. If there are adjacent enemy ships, then you don't collect the money, but you still own the hex (at least until an enemy ship actually moves through it to capture it for their side)." What is the intent of the rule? Are NZ hexes captured as it is written or does it indeed work the way Nick ruled in 2005?
A: What is not clear? You move through neutral zone hex A, and there are no adjacent enemy ships, so you claim the hex. When it comes around to your Economic Phase you check the hex to see if any enemy ships have moved adjacent since you have claimed the hex or the previous Economic Phase. If there are not any, you get 0.2 EPs for that hex.
Q: If my Marines (G factors) suppress the rebellion (537.131), does the planet return to status as a supply source immediately?
A: The planet returns to status as a supply source upon the next supply check in the Sequence of Play.
Q: In the case of liberation of a rebellious planet by the original empire and/or its allies (537.13) does supply return immediately or is it delayed as any other liberation?
A: Supply is returned like any other liberation as the rebels are not worried about the infrastructure to run a planet-wide economy, but only worried about if they are going to make life miserable for the conquerors.
(End of F&E Q&A)
Q:Are there color pictures of Star Fleet campaign ribbons that I could use for
my Prime Directive campaign?
A:As of now, there are. Try this link: http://www.starfleetgames.com/sfb/sfin/Fed_ribbons.jpg
If you want more information, check out this page:
http://www.starfleetgames.com/sfb/sfin/index.shtml#PD
Send questions to Jean at design@StarFleetGames.com and SVC will decide which one Jean will answer next.
(End of Ask Aunt Jean )
In this section we will provide links to various web pages and items that we think you will find "cool".
Here is a links to our new page about our new upcoming game:
Tribbles vs Klingons
Here are links to the new pages of Starline 2500 miniatures pictures.
Starline 2500 Battleships page
Starline 2500 Federation Miniatures
Starline 2500 Klingon Miniatures
Starline 2500 Romulan Miniatures
Star Fleet Command
Starline 2500
Traveller Prime Directive
Call to Arms Star Fleet
We have also uploaded new Xander wallpapers to our Wallpapers section on the website.
Wallpapers
We have new images of our next game Star Fleet Marines posted on our BBS topic page.
These are the press releases we send to the wholesalers, retailers, and media. You can get on the mailing list for them by asking Marketing@StarFleetGames.com to add you to the list. (Obviously, they are free.) They are uploaded to the Star Fleet Alert page
Alert 130123 Release (Adobe Reader Required)
Alert Thanksgiving 2012 (Adobe Reader Required)
Alert 120910 FC Reinforcements Attack (Adobe Reader Required)
Alert 120718 Captain's Log #45 (Adobe Reader Required)
Alert 120626 Platinum Hat (Adobe Reader Required)
Alert 120327 Starmada (Adobe Reader Required)
Alert 120227 Marines (Adobe Reader Required)
Special sensors can be important systems for your fleet.
On defense, use them only in serious cases.
1. Examine the enemy's weapons, because sensors impact some empires more than others. The ISC's plasmatic pulsars suffer only minor degradation but the Federation's vaunted photon torpedoes are devastated by a die roll shift. Phasers firing from a distance also suffer.
2. Don't use the sensors against enemy drones until the last impulse, and even then, only if you're desperate. Ships have phasers and tractor beams to deal with the pesky drones.
3. Protect the ships you need the most, that is, ships with key weapons or scenario-winning systems. If the scenario is won by landing Marines on a planet, protect the commando ship.
4. Don't waste sensors against plasma-Fs; save them for use against the plasma-S and plasma-R torpedoes.
On offense, the choice of when to use a sensor is even more critical and requires careful thought.
1. Throwing all your eggs into one impulse basket against a fleet with a scout is inviting him to use the sensors to protect that target. Fire weapons over several impulses and against multiple ships. The only empire that will have enough sensors will be a Federation fleet or an opponent with a base. Any other empire can only protect four ships or reduce four plasma torpedoes.
2. Consider reducing your opponent's die rolls when you have multiple seeking weapons striking that turn.
3. Target the scout with seeking weapons to force it to maneuver. Ships more than 12 hexes from the scout cannot receive its help, so make them work to keep their formation.
4. At the end of an early turn, when the fleets still have some distance, shoot at the scout. Any shield damage might force the scout ship to stay back and be more cautious.
(End of FC Tactic of the Month)
THE OPTIONS METAGAME
- Captain Ken Burnside, USS Wisonsin a
One of the realizations that separates the excellent from the merely pretty good at Star Fleet Battles is that Star Fleet Battles is less about doing damage to your opponent than it is about collapsing their option sets.
For example, many, many words have been written on the optimum range, angle, timing, and point in the turn to launch plasma torpedoes, or to fire shock weapons like photon torpedoes. Very little has been said about the benefits gained from maintaining the option to fire or launch them and use that potential as a deterrent to hinder what an opponent does.
An opponent who suspects you might be able to launch 50 points of plasma (a plasma-S and a plasma-F torpedoes) will be less likely to point the front of his ship at you inside of Range 7 (where it will take a High Energy Turn to respond to the launch). An opponent who knows you have photon torpedoes ready to fire will be cautious about getting inside Range 9, and may dither rather than trying to draw the photon torpedoes out while he still has the maneuver angles to do something about it.
Every ship with seeking weapons should see those seeking weapons not only as terrain they put on the map, or as phaser sponges, but also as a threat to launch, and that threat may be more useful than an actual launch when it comes to keeping your opponent's options limited.
(End of SFB Tactic of the Month)
Starline 2500 Kzinti Fast Cruiser
See the other images here.
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